Wearable sound system with configurable privacy modes

ABSTRACT

An audio sharing system is configured to operate in at least two modes of operation. In a private mode, the audio sharing system outputs sound only to a user and may isolate the user from the surrounding acoustic environment. In a public mode of operation, the audio sharing system broadcasts sound to the user and to any other listeners in proximity to the user, thereby sharing sound in a social manner. The audio sharing system may also operate in other modes of operation that allow the selective sharing of sounds.

BACKGROUND Field of the Various Embodiments

The various embodiments relate generally to speaker systems and, morespecifically, to a wearable sound system with configurable privacymodes.

Description of the Related Art

A conventional personal sound system typically includes an audio deviceconfigured to generate audio signals and a set of headphones configuredto output sound derived from those audio signals into the ears of auser. For example, a conventional digital music player generates audiosignals based on a music file and then transmits those signals to a pairof headphones or earbuds that output sound into the ears of the user.

Conventional personal sound systems function well in the specificcontext of a user listening to sound in isolation. However, such systemsmust be adapted to operate in the wider context of a user listening tosound in proximity to others. In particular, in a social setting, a userof a personal sound system may wish to facilitate the shared experienceof listening to sound with others.

In such situations, users of personal sound systems oftentimes share oneheadphone or earbud with other listeners. Such approaches can becumbersome, though, because headphone wires are usually too short toallow comfortable listening and may become tangled easily. In addition,when using only one headphone or earbud, any stereo effects are lost,resulting in a much less immersive listening experience. Further, suchapproaches enable sound to be shared between no more than two people.Thus, as a general matter, conventional personal sound systems cannoteasily be used with multiple listeners.

As the foregoing illustrates, a more effective approach to sharing soundacross multiple listeners would be useful.

SUMMARY

One or more embodiments set forth a computer-implemented method fordistributing sound between listeners, including configuring one or moreacoustic transducers to operate in a first mode, where, in the firstmode, the one or more acoustic transducers generate a first sound fieldin which sound is output towards a first listener and away from a secondlistener, transitioning the one or more acoustic transducers from thefirst mode to a second mode in response to a first triggering event, andconfiguring the one or more acoustic transducers to operate in thesecond mode, where, in the second mode, the one or more acoustictransducers generate a second sound field in which sound is outputtowards the first listener and the second listener.

Further embodiments provide, among other things, a system and acomputer-readable medium configured to implement the method set forthabove.

One advantage of the techniques described herein is that users of theaudio sharing system can listen to sound in isolation from others atsome times, and selectively share sound with nearby listeners at othertimes.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWINGS

So that the manner in which the above recited features can be understoodin detail, a more particular description of the various embodiments,briefly summarized above, may be had by reference to certainembodiments, some of which are illustrated in the appended drawings. Itis to be noted, however, that the appended drawings illustrate onlytypical embodiments and are therefore not to be considered limiting ofscope, for the contemplated embodiments may admit to other equallyeffective embodiments.

FIGS. 1A-1E illustrate an audio sharing system configured to implementone or more aspects of the various embodiments;

FIGS. 2A-2D illustrate exemplary shoulder-mounted audio devicesassociated with the audio sharing system of FIG. 1, according to variousembodiments;

FIGS. 3A-3D illustrate exemplary head-mounted audio devices associatedwith the audio sharing system of FIG. 1, according to variousembodiments;

FIGS. 4A-4B are more detailed illustrations of the audio sharing systemof FIG. 1, according to various embodiments;

FIG. 5 is a flow diagram of method steps for transitioning between audiosharing modes, according to various embodiments; and

FIG. 6 is a flow diagram of method steps for operating in multiple audiosharing modes simultaneously, according to various embodiments.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

In the following description, numerous specific details are set forth toprovide a more thorough understanding of the various embodiments.However, it will be apparent to one of skill in the art that variousembodiments may be practiced without one or more of these specificdetails.

As discussed above, conventional personal sound systems are specificallydesigned to emit audio to one listener in isolation from others, andtherefore cannot easily be used in social contexts. Specifically,conventional personal sound systems do not have any inbuilt mechanismfor sharing audio between multiple listeners.

To address this issue, various embodiments include an audio sharingsystem configured to operate in at least two modes of operation. In aprivate mode, the audio sharing system outputs sound only to the userand may isolate the user from the surrounding acoustic environment. In apublic mode of operation, the audio sharing system broadcasts sound tothe user and to any other listeners in proximity to the user, therebysharing sound in a social manner. The audio sharing system may alsooperate in other modes of operation that allow the selective sharing ofsounds. One advantage of the techniques described herein is that usersof the audio sharing system can listen to sound in isolation from othersat some times, and selectively share sound with nearby listeners atother times.

Conceptual Overview

FIGS. 1A-1E illustrate an audio sharing system configured to implementone or more aspects of the present embodiments. As shown in FIG. 1A,audio sharing system 100 is configured to be worn by a user 110. Inparticular, components of audio sharing system 100 may be coupled withthe head 112 and/or shoulders 114 of user 110. Other components of audiosharing system 100 can be stored in the clothing of user or carried byuser, among other options. Various implementations of audio sharingsystem are discussed in greater detail below in conjunction with FIGS.2A-3D.

In operation, audio sharing system 100 is configured to emit sound togenerate a sound field 120(A). In this configuration, audio sharingsystem 100 operates in a “private” mode of operation and thereforegenerates sound field 120(A) in the immediate proximity of user 110.When operating in private mode, audio sharing system 100 may implementdirectional sound techniques to direct sound targeting user 110 and toavoid emitting sound that can be perceived by nearby listeners 130(0)and 130(1). These directional sound techniques may involve beamformingand/or steerable sound arrays, as discussed specifically in conjunctionwith FIGS. 2A-2D. These directional sound techniques may also involvemechanical approaches to directing sound, as discussed specifically inconjunction with FIGS. 3A-3D.

In response to various triggering events, audio sharing system 100 isconfigured to transition between different modes of operation. Atriggering event may be identified based on input received from user110, or input received from the environment surrounding user 110. Forexample, and without limitation, audio sharing system 100 couldtransition between modes of operation in response to voice commandsreceived from user 110. Alternatively, audio sharing system 100 couldtransition between modes of operation upon identifying other nearbylisteners. Other triggering events are discussed in greater detail belowin conjunction with FIGS. 4A-4B. Additional modes of operation arediscussed below.

Audio sharing system 100 may generate different sound fieldscorresponding to each different mode of operation. FIG. 1B illustrates asound field generated when audio sharing system 100 operates in a“public” mode of operation.

As shown in FIG. 1B, audio sharing system 100 is configured to generatea sound field 120(B) when operating in public mode. Sound field 120(B)represents an expanded version of sound field 120(A). Sound field 120(B)may be perceptible by user 110 as well as listeners 130(0) and 130(1).In this manner, audio sharing system 100 facilitates the sharing ofsound in a social context, thereby overcoming restrictions associatedwith conventional personal sound systems.

Audio sharing system 100 may also generate more precisely formed soundfields. FIG. 1C illustrates a sound field generated when audio sharingsystem 100 operates in a “selective” mode of operation.

As shown in FIG. 1C, audio sharing system 100 is configured to generatea sound field 120(C) when operating in selective mode. Sound field120(C) is precisely formed to be perceptible by user 110 and listener130(0) and may not be perceptible by listener 130(1). This approach maybe implemented in a social context that includes subgroupings oflisteners. For example, and without limitation, user 110 and listeners130 could collectively share a public space, although user 110 andlistener 130(0) could form a subgroup, such as a conversationalgrouping, that does not include listener 130(1). Accordingly, user 110could wish to share sound with listener 130(0) without disturbing orincluding listener 130(1).

Audio sharing system 100 may also generate focused sound fieldstargeting specific listeners. FIG. 1D illustrates a sound fieldgenerated when audio sharing system 100 operates in a “spotlight” modeof operation.

As shown in FIG. 1D, audio sharing system 100 is configured to generatesound field 120(D) when operating in spotlight mode. Sound field 120(D)specifically targets listener 130(0) and excludes user 110. Accordingly,listener 130(0) may perceive sound generated by audio sharing system 100and user 110 may not perceive that sound. This particular mode ofoperation may be implemented when user 110 wishes to share sound with anearby listener but does not wish to hear that sound. For example, andwithout limitation, user 110 could wish to share a voice message withlistener 130(0). User 110 could have already listened to that voicemessage and therefore wish to avoid listening to the message again.Thus, user 110 would cause audio sharing system 100 to generate soundfield 120(D) targeting listener 130(0) and excluding user 110.

Audio sharing system 100 may also generate multiple sound fieldssimultaneously. FIG. 1E illustrates sound fields generated when audiosharing system 100 operates in a “multi” mode of operation.

As shown in FIG. 1E, audio sharing system 100 is configured to generatesound fields 120(A) of FIG. 1A, sound field 120(C) of FIG. 1C, as wellas sound field 120(E), simultaneously and in conjunction with oneanother. These different sound fields target different subgroups of user110 and listeners 130. In particular, sound field 120(A) targets user110 and may thus only be perceptible by user 110, as previouslydiscussed. Sound field 120(C) targets both user 110 and listener 130(0),and may thus only be perceptible by user 110 and listener 130(0), asalso discussed. In addition, sound field 130(E) targets user 110 andlistener 130(1) and may thus only be perceptible by user 110 andlistener 130(1).

Each of the different sound fields shown may be derived from a differentsource of audio or may be derived from a common audio source modulatedwith different settings. For example, and without limitation, soundfield 120(A) could represent audio associated with a personal digitalassistant that user 110 wishes to keep private. Further, sound field120(C) could represent audio to which listener 130(0) has expressedinterest in listening, while sound field 120(E) could representdifferent audio to which listener 130(1) has expressed interest inlistening. In another example, sound field 120(C) could be derived froma specific audio source and emitted with a first volume level, whilesound field 120(E) could also be derived from that same audio sourcealthough be emitted with a second volume level. In one embodiment, agiven listener 130 may interact with audio sharing system 100 toconfigure settings that are specifically applied to sound fieldsassociated with that listener 130. In the manner discussed herein, audiosharing system 100 is configured to operate in multiple different modessimultaneously to generate different sound fields 120 in conjunctionwith one another.

In one embodiment, audio sharing system 100 generates and manages soundfields associated with multiple different conversational agentssimultaneously. The different sound fields corresponding to eachdifferent conversational agent may be directed towards different groupsof listeners. Each group of listeners may interact with a differentconversational agent via the associated sound field. Audio sharingsystem 100 may coordinate conversations between these different groupsof listeners and the corresponding conversational agents independentlyof one another. Alternatively, audio sharing system 100 may direct eachdifferent conversation based on the other conversations. In one example,without limitation, audio sharing system 100 may converse with a userwho resides inside an automobile, and also converse with a pedestrianoutside of the vehicle. These two conversations could occur via twodifferent conversational agents that may or may not interact with oneanother (transparently to the user, in some cases), or via a singleconversational agent.

Referring generally to FIGS. 1A-1E, when generating any of the soundfields 120 discussed above, audio sharing system 100 may perform digitalsignal processing or other sound modulation techniques to implementadditional functionalities, as described in greater detail herein.

In one embodiment, audio sharing system 100 may generate modulated soundthat appears, for a given listener (e.g., user 110 and/or listeners130), to be emitted from a specific direction. For example, and withoutlimitation, when generating sound field 120(A) shown in FIG. 1A, audiosharing system 100 could modulate sound field 120(A) so that soundappears to originate from a specific location in the environmentsurrounding user 110. Audio sharing system 100 could also modulate soundfield 120(A) to preserve this localized effect when user 110 movesthrough the environment. In this manner, audio sharing system 100 cansimulate sources of sound that remain fixed in the surroundingenvironment.

In another embodiment, audio sharing system 100 may generate modulatedsound to produce a sound field 120 that moves and/or changes shape overtime. For example, and without limitation, when generating sound field120(C) shown in FIG. 1C, audio sharing system 100 could modulate soundfield 120(C) when listener 130(0) moves relative to user 110 in order tocontinue emitting sound specifically to user 110 and listener 130(0)during this movement.

In yet another embodiment, audio sharing system 100 may generatemodulated sound that selectively incorporates environmental sounds intoa sound field. For example, and without limitation, when generatingsound field 120(A) shown in FIG. 1A, audio sharing system 100 couldmodulate sound field 120(A) to include environmental sounds emitted fromnearby traffic, thereby providing user 110 with a certain degree ofsituational awareness.

As mentioned previously, audio sharing system 100 may include varioustypes of audio devices configured to emit sound in a directional mannerto generate sound fields 120. FIGS. 2A-2D and 3A-3D, respectively, setforth two examples of such devices.

Exemplary Audio Devices

FIGS. 2A-2D illustrate exemplary shoulder and/or neck mounted audiodevices associated with the audio sharing system of FIG. 1, according tovarious embodiments. As shown in each of FIGS. 2A-2B, user 110 wears asteerable acoustic array 200 on shoulder 114. Steerable acoustic array200 includes a collection of acoustic transducers configured tointeroperate to generate highly directional sound, thereby allowing theformation of precisely shaped sound fields. Steerable acoustic array 200could include, for example and without limitation, a set ofmicroelectromechanical system (MEMS) devices, a set of ultrasonictransducers, or a set of micro-acoustic devices, among otherpossibilities.

As shown in FIG. 2A, via steerable acoustic array 200, audio sharingsystem 100 may generate sound field 120(A) that specifically targets theear of user 110 and avoids emitting sound elsewhere. This configurationcorresponds to the private mode of operation discussed previously. Audiosharing system 100 may then transition to public mode and adjust theoutput of steerable acoustic array 200 accordingly.

As shown in FIG. 2B, via steerable acoustic array 200, audio sharingsystem may then generate sound field 120(B) to broadcast soundmultidirectionally, thereby allowing nearby listeners 130 to listen toshared audio. This configuration corresponds to the public mode ofoperation discussed previously. FIGS. 2B-2D depict anotherimplementation of audio devices associated with audio sharing system100.

As shown in FIGS. 2C-2D, user 110 wears a neck-mounted acoustic array210. Neck-mounted acoustic array 210 may include a collection ofacoustic transducers configured to interoperate to generate highlydirectional sound, thereby allowing the formation of precisely shapedsound fields, similar to steerable acoustic array 200 of FIGS. 2A-2B.Via neck mounted acoustic array 210, audio sharing system 100 maygenerate sound field 120(A) when operating in private mode, as shown inFIG. 2C. Audio sharing system 100 may then transition to public mode andgenerate sound field 120(B), as shown in FIG. 2D. Audio sharing system100 may also include audio devices that can be mounted to head 112 ofuser 110, as described in greater detail below in conjunction with FIGS.3A-3D.

FIGS. 3A-3D illustrate exemplary head-mounted audio devices associatedwith the audio sharing system of FIG. 1, according to variousembodiments. As shown in each of FIGS. 3A-3B, user 110 wears robotic hat300 on head 112. Robotic hat 300 includes mechanical flaps 310configured to fold between a folded-down position and a folded-upposition. Mechanical flaps may include actuators, electric motors,servomechanisms, steppers, solenoids, or other robotic elementsconfigured to effect translation and/or rotation. Mechanical flaps mayalso actuate via shape change materials, including shape memory alloys,shape memory polymers, thermoplastics, dielectric electroactivepolymers, and so forth.

When mechanical flaps are configured in the folded down position, asshown in FIG. 3A, each mechanical flap 310 covers a different ear ofuser 110 and directs sound into the respective ear. In thisconfiguration, audio sharing system 100 operates in private mode andemits limited sound to the environment surrounding user 110. Whenmechanical flaps 310 are configured in the folded-up position, as shownin FIG. 3B, each mechanical flap 310 faces outwards and directs soundinto the surrounding environment. In this configuration, audio sharingsystem 100 operates in public mode.

In one embodiment, robotic hat 300 may further include one or moredisplay screens coupled to a mechanically actuated brim of robotic hat300. This mechanically actuated brim may fold downwards to present afirst display screen to user 110. A second display screen on theopposite side of the brim may also be visible to other nearby listenerswhen the mechanically actuated brim is folded downwards. Audio sharingsystem 100 may selectively display visual content on either or both ofthese display screens depending on the current mode of operation. Forexample, and without limitation, when operating in private mode, audiosharing system 100 may display visual content only on the first displayscreen and therefore only to user 110. When operation in public mode,however, audio sharing system 100 may also display visual content on thesecond display screen. In a related embodiment, robotic hat 300 may be afully-featured augmented reality (AR) device or virtual reality (VR)device configured to transition between a private mode, where user 110is partially or fully immersed in a simulated reality, and a publicmode, where aspects of the simulated reality are shared with nearbylisteners. Persons skilled in the art will recognize that the techniquesassociated with robotic hat 300 may also be implemented in the contextof other forms of clothing and wearable items, including jacket collars,scarves, necklaces, backpacks, and so forth, for example and withoutlimitation. Any of the embodiments involving video displays discussedabove may also be combined with any of the audio-related embodimentsdiscussed previously, as well.

As shown in FIGS. 3C-3D, the mechanisms discussed above in conjunctionwith FIGS. 3A-3B may also be applied to other types of hats. Inparticular, hat 320 shown in FIGS. 3C-3D may include a speaker 330. Whenthe brim of hat 320 is folded downwards, as shown in FIG. 3C, audiosharing system 100 operates in private mode. Then, when the brim of hat320 is folded upwards, as shown in FIG. 3D, audio sharing system 100operates in public mode.

Referring generally to FIGS. 2A-3D, the audio devices discussed inconjunction with these Figures may be implemented in combination withone another to generate any of the sound fields discussed above inconjunction with FIGS. 1A-1E. In addition, the audio devices describedabove may also be implemented in combination with various digital signalprocessing techniques to generate any of the described sound fields.

As a general matter, audio sharing system 100 performs specificconfigurations to transition between modes of operation via anytechnically feasible approach or combination of approaches. For example,and without limitation, audio sharing system 100 could implementmechanical actuations such as those described above or could performdigital signal processing techniques such as those also mentionedpreviously. Additionally, audio sharing system 100 could implement bothmechanical and digital signal processing techniques in conjunction withone another, among other possibilities. With any of these techniques,audio sharing system 100 configures one or more audio output devices toimplement any and all combinations of the sound fields 120 discussedabove.

Various computing components included in audio sharing system 100 aredescribed in greater detail below in conjunction with FIGS. 4A-4B.

System Overview

FIGS. 4A-4B are more detailed illustrations of the audio sharing systemof FIG. 1, according to various embodiments. As shown, audio sharingsystem 100 includes a computing device 400 coupled to a wearable device420. Computing device 400 includes a processor 402, input/output (I/O)devices 404, and memory 406, coupled together.

Processor 402 may be any technically feasible hardware unit configuredto process data and execute program instructions. Processor 402 couldbe, for example and without limitation, a central processing unit (CPU),a graphics processing unit (GPU), an application specific integratedcircuit (ASIC), and any combination thereof. I/O devices 404 includedevices for receiving input, devices for providing output, and devicesfor both receiving and providing input and output, respectively. Forexample, and without limitation, I/O devices 404 could include atouchscreen configured to receive input and provide output. Memory 406may include any technically feasible storage medium for storing data andsoftware applications. Memory could be, for example and withoutlimitation, a random-access memory (RAM) module. Memory 406 includes acontrol application 408 and a datastore 410.

Control application 408 is a software application including program codethat, when executed by processor 402, coordinates the operation of audiosharing system 100. In doing so, control application 408 implementstransitions between the various modes of operation associated with audiosharing system 100 and manages the generation of the sound fields 120corresponding to each such mode. In doing so, control application 408interoperates with wearable device 420.

Wearable device 420 is configured to be worn or otherwise coupled touser 110. For example, and without limitation, wearable device 420 couldbe robotic hat 300 discussed above in conjunction with FIGS. 3A-3D. Insome embodiments, wearable device 420 includes a mechanical subsystem422. Mechanical subsystem 422 includes any robotic hardware configuredto perform actuation operations. For example, and without limitation,mechanical subsystem 422 could include electric motors configured toactuate mechanical flaps 310 affixed to robotic hat 300. Mechanicalsubsystem 422 may be omitted in embodiments that do not involvemechanical actuation.

Wearable device 420 also includes I/O subsystem 424. I/O subsystem 424includes devices configured to receive input, such as sensor arraysconfigured to capture sensor data associated with user 110 and/or theenvironment surrounding user 110. For example, and without limitation,I/O subsystem 424 could include a gyroscope configured to measure thehead orientation of user 110, an inertial measurement unit (IMU)configured to measure the motion of user 110 through space, a set ofacoustic transducers configured to measure ambient sound, one or moreoptical sensors configured to measure visual or infrared light, a LightDetection and Ranging (LIDAR) sensor, a distance sensor, a time offlight sensor, a brightness sensor, or any other technically feasibleform of sensing apparatus.

I/O subsystem 424 also includes devices configured to generate output.For example, and without limitation, I/O subsystem 424 could includesteerable acoustic array 300 discussed above in conjunction with FIGS.2A-2D. I/O subsystem 424 may also include other forms of audio and/orvisual output devices, including, for example and without limitation,acoustic arrays, ultrasonic devices, visual display devices, boneconduction transducers, flexible displays, beam forming speakers,optical pass through devices, heads-up displays, or any othertechnically feasible form of emission apparatus.

Computing device 400 and wearable device 420 may be integrated togetherto form a single physical component or may be separate modularcomponents. Computing device 400 may communicate with wearable device420 via a wired connection or a wireless connection, as well. In oneembodiment, computing device 400 is a mobile device and controlapplication 408 is an application (app) that executes on that computingdevice 400, potentially alongside other apps, to coordinate theoperation of wearable device 420. Control application 408 is describedin greater detail below in conjunction with FIG. 4B.

As shown in FIG. 4B, control application 408 includes a transitionmodule 440, a hardware controller 450, and an audio generator 460.Transition module 440 is a software module configured to receive input,including sensor data, from I/O subsystem 424, and to then implementtransitions between operating modes via interactions with hardwarecontroller 450 and audio generator 460.

In doing so, transition module 440 analyzes the input data received fromI/O subsystem 424 to detect specific triggering events. Each triggeringevent may correspond to a different operating mode. Transition module440 may be preconfigured to detect a specific set of triggering eventsand may also be configured by user 110 to detect custom triggeringevents. Transition module 440 may implement any technically feasibleform of data processing to detect a given triggering event.

Transition module 440 may include a voice recognition module thatidentifies spoken commands issued by user 110. Each different commandmay initiate a transition to a different operating mode. For example,and without limitation, user 110 could issue a command, such as“transition to private mode,” and transition module 440 would then, inresponse, initiate a transition to private mode via interactions withhardware controller 450 and audio generator 450. Other triggering eventsmay include the spoken expression of the name of user 110, the detectionof a specific nearby listener, the identification of a certain dangerouscircumstance, or the detection of other instances of audio sharingsystem 100, among others.

Transition module 440 may implement computer vision techniques toidentify people or objects nearby to user 110, and then initiate atransition to an appropriate mode of operation. For example, and withoutlimitation, when a listener 130 approaches user 110, transition module440 could detect the presence of that listener and then initiate atransition to public mode. In another example, and without limitation,transition module 440 could detect an approaching automobile, and thentransition out of private mode in order to reduce audio immersion ofuser 110 and/or to alert user 110 to potential danger. Audio sharingsystem 100 may also warn user 110 of potential danger withouttransitioning between modes. In addition, audio sharing system 100 mayperform steps to transmit warnings externally to the environment basedon triggering events. For example, and without limitation, audio sharingsystem 100 could transmit a warning to an approaching automobile thatuser 110 may be pre-occupied and unaware of potential anger.

In response to any triggering event, transition module 440 may causehardware controller 450 to implement specific mechanical actuations withmechanical subsystem 422. In doing so, hardware controller 450 may issuecommands to one or more mechanical components. For example, and withoutlimitation, when transition module 440 initiates a transition to publicmode, hardware controller could actuate mechanical flaps 310 of robotichat 300 in order to fold those flaps upwards.

In response to any triggering event, transition module 440 may alsocause audio generator 460 to perform various audio processing techniquesto generate audio signals for transmission to I/O subsystem 424. I/Osubsystem 424 may then generate sound fields 120 based on those audiosignals. Audio generator 460 may access audio library 462 to retrievesound files, and then decode those sound fields to generate the audiosignals. Audio library 462 could include, for example and withoutlimitation, a collection of Motion Picture Experts Group-1 Audio Layer-3(MP3) files. Audio generator 460 generally coordinates various digitalsignal processing techniques, and may rely on a discrete digital signalprocessor (not shown) to do so. Those techniques may be associated withaudio beamforming, active noise cancelation, and three-dimensional (3D)sound, among others. For example, and without limitation, audiogenerator 460 could generate a cancelation signal that cancels selectedsound at the location of a nearby listener 130.

Referring generally to FIGS. 4A-4B, persons skilled in the art willunderstand that the overarching functionality of computing device 400and wearable device 420 may be performed according to other technicallyfeasible implementations beyond those discussed above. For example, thefunctionality of computing device 400 and wearable device 420 may beimplemented as a single integrated circuit embedded into a piece ofclothing. As general matter, any technically feasible approach togenerating the sound fields 120 shown in FIGS. 1A-1E fall squarely inthe scope of the present disclosure. FIGS. 5-6 illustrate proceduresimplemented by audio sharing system 100 to perform the varioustechniques discussed thus far.

Techniques for Sharing Audio

FIG. 5 is a flow diagram of method steps for transitioning between audiosharing modes, according to various embodiments. Although the methodsteps are described in conjunction with the systems of FIGS. 1-4B,persons skilled in the art will understand that the method steps can beperformed in any order by any system.

As shown, a method 500 begins at step 502, where audio sharing system100 operates in private mode to generate a private sound fieldexclusively associated with user 110. In doing so, audio sharing system100 may generate sound field 120(A) shown in FIG. 1A. At step 504, audiosharing system 100 determines whether a transition to public mode istriggered. Audio sharing system 100 may implement many possible criteriafor determining whether to transition to public mode, and in doing so,may process data associated with user 110 and/or the environment whereuser 110 resides. The method 500 returns to step 502 if a transition topublic mode is not triggered. Otherwise, the method 500 proceeds to step506.

At step 506, audio sharing system 100 implements a transition to publicmode. Audio sharing system 100 may implement mechanical actuations togenerate sound field 120(B) and/or perform digital signal processingoperations to condition audio signals for public broadcast. At step 508,audio sharing system 100 operates in public mode to generate a publicsound field associated with user 100 and with the surroundingenvironment. Audio sharing system may generate sound field 120(B) upontransitioning to public mode, thereby sharing sound with listeners inproximity to user 110.

At step 510, audio sharing system determines whether a transition toprivate mode is triggered. If no such transition is triggered, themethod returns to step 508 and audio sharing system 100 remains inpublic mode. Otherwise, the method proceeds to step 512, where audiosharing system 100 transitions back to private mode. The method 500 thenreturns to step 502 and proceeds as described above. Audio sharingsystem 100 implements the method 500 to implement the essentialfunctionality of transitioning between private and public mode. Audiosharing system 100 may also implement a more complex approach thatinvolves the generation of multiple sound fields simultaneously, asdescribed in greater detail below in conjunction with FIG. 6.

FIG. 6 is a flow diagram of method steps for operating in multiple audiosharing modes simultaneously, according to various embodiments. Althoughthe method steps are described in conjunction with the systems of FIGS.1-4B, persons skilled in the art will understand that the method stepscan be performed in any order by any system.

As shown, a method 600 begins at step 602, where audio sharing system100 identifies a first trigger event associated with a first type ofaudio data. The first trigger event may be associated with user 110 orthe environment where user 110 resides. The first trigger event may alsobe associated with a specific type of audio data. For example, andwithout limitation, the first trigger event could be associated with aspecific voice command issued by user 110 indicating that a first audiofile should be played. At step 604, audio sharing system 100 generates afirst sound field to output the first type of audio data to a firstsubset of nearby listeners. The first subset of listeners may includeuser 110 and specific other listeners 130, a subset of listeners 130that does not include user 110, or user 110 alone.

At step 606, audio sharing system 100 identifies a second trigger eventassociated with a second type of audio data. Similar to the firsttrigger event, the second trigger event may be associated with user 110or the environment where user 110 resides, and may also be associatedwith a specific type of audio data. For example, and without limitation,the second trigger event could be associated with an environmental cuethat triggers music to be broadcast into the environment. At step 608,audio sharing system 100 generates a second sound field to output thesecond type of audio data to a second subset of nearby listeners inconjunction with generating the first sound field. The second subset oflisteners may include listeners in the first subset or may include adistinct set of listeners.

The approach described above allows audio sharing system 100 to operatein multiple modes of operation simultaneously. For example, and withoutlimitation, audio sharing system 100 could generate the first soundfield for user 110 only, thereby operating in private mode to output thefirst type of audio data, and generate the second sound field formultiple nearby listeners, thereby also operating in public mode tooutput the second type of audio data.

Although the techniques discussed thus far relate to sharing sound viaacoustic transmissions, persons skilled in the art will understand thatsound may also be shared digitally. For example, and without limitation,when operating in public mode, audio sharing system 100 could streamdigital audio signals to selected mobile devices associated with nearbylisteners. With this approach, audio sharing system 100 can avoidbroadcasting acoustic signals into the environment while stillpermitting audio to be shared across many listeners.

In sum, an audio sharing system is configured to operate in at least twomodes of operation. In a private mode, the audio sharing system outputssound only to a user and may isolate the user from the surroundingacoustic environment. In a public mode of operation, the audio sharingsystem broadcasts sound to the user and to any other listeners inproximity to the user, thereby sharing sound in a social manner. Theaudio sharing system may also operate in other modes of operation thatallow the selective sharing of sounds.

One advantage of the techniques described herein is that users of theaudio sharing system can listen to sound in isolation from others atsome times, and selectively share sound with nearby listeners at othertimes. Accordingly, the disclosed audio sharing system represents atechnological advancement over conventional approaches that cannoteasily facilitate the sharing of sound with others.

1. Some embodiments include a computer-implemented method fordistributing sound between listeners, the method comprising: configuringone or more acoustic transducers to operate in a first mode, wherein, inthe first mode, the one or more acoustic transducers generate a firstsound field in which sound is output towards a first listener and awayfrom a second listener, transitioning the one or more acoustictransducers from the first mode to a second mode in response to a firsttriggering event, and configuring the one or more acoustic transducersto operate in the second mode, wherein, in the second mode, the one ormore acoustic transducers generate a second sound field in which soundis output towards the first listener and the second listener.

2. The computer-implemented method of clause 1, wherein, in the firstmode, the one or more acoustic transducers generate the first soundfield in which sound is output away from a third listener, and wherein,in the first mode, the one or more acoustic transducers generate thesecond sound field in which sound is output away from the thirdlistener.

3. The computer-implemented method of any of clauses 1 and 2, furthercomprising configuring the one or more acoustic transducers to operatein a third mode, wherein, in the third mode, the one or more acoustictransducers generate a third sound field in which sound is outputtowards the second listener and away from the first listener.

4. The computer-implemented method of any of clauses 1, 2, and 3,wherein the first sound field and the second sound field are generatedsimultaneously.

5. The computer-implemented method of any of clauses 1, 2, 3, and 4,wherein the first sound field is associated with a first audio sourceand the second sound field is associated with a second audio source.

6. The computer-implemented method of any of clauses 1, 2, 3, 4, and 5,wherein configuring the one or more acoustic transducers to operate inthe first mode comprises performing a beamforming operation to focussound towards the first listener and away from the second listener.

7. The computer-implemented method of any of clauses 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, and6, wherein configuring the one or more acoustic transducers to operatein the first mode comprises performing an active noise cancelationoperation to cancel a first portion of sound at a location associatedwith the second listener.

8. The computer-implemented method of any of clauses 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6,and 7, further comprising detecting the first triggering event based onsensor data associated with the first listener or based on sensor dataassociated with an environment in which the first listener resides.

9. Some embodiments include a non-transitory computer-readable mediumthat, when executed by a processor, causes the processor to distributesound between listeners by performing the steps of: configuring one ormore acoustic transducers to operate in a first mode, wherein, in thefirst mode, the one or more acoustic transducers generate a first soundfield in which sound is output towards a first listener and away from asecond listener, initiating a second mode of operation in response to afirst triggering event, and configuring the one or more acoustictransducers to operate in the second mode, wherein, in the second mode,the one or more acoustic transducers generate a second sound field inwhich sound is output towards the first listener and the second listenerin conjunction with generating the first sound field.

10. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of clause 9, wherein thefirst sound field is associated with a digital assistant that isresponsive to the first listener, and the second field is derived from afirst music file associated with the first listener.

11. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of any of clauses 9 and10, wherein the step of initiating the second mode of operationcomprising transmitting one or more commands to a mechanical subsystemto cause the second sound field to be generated.

12. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of any of clauses 9, 10,and 11, wherein the step of initiating the second mode of operationcomprising causing an audio generator to perform a digital signalprocessing computation to generate a first audio signal, wherein thesecond sound field is derived from the first audio signal.

13. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of any of clauses 9, 10,11, and 12, wherein the first triggering event comprises detection of afirst voice command issued by the first listener and corresponding tothe second mode of operation.

14. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of any of clauses 9, 10,11, 12, and 13, wherein the first sound field is generated to associatesound with a first object in an environment where the first listenerresides, and further comprising causing the first sound field to remainassociated with the first object when the first listener moves throughthe environment.

15. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of any of clauses 9, 10,11, 12, 13, and 14, further comprising the step of causing the one ormore transducers to generate a first sound sampled from an environmentin which the first listener resides to output sound towards the firstlistener.

16. Some embodiments include a system for distributing sound betweenlisteners, comprising: a wearable device configured to be worn by afirst listener, comprising: an input/output (I/O) subsystem thatincludes a sensor array and a speaker array, and a computing device,comprising: a memory storing a control application, and a processorthat, when executing the control application, is configured to performthe steps of: configuring the speaker array to operate in a first mode,wherein, in the first mode, the speaker array generates a first soundfield in which sound is output towards a first listener and away from asecond listener, transitioning the speaker array from the first mode toa second mode in response to a first triggering event, and configuringthe speaker array to operate in the second mode, wherein, in the secondmode, the speaker array generates a second sound field in which sound isoutput towards the first listener and the second listener.

17. The system of clause 16, wherein the wearable device furthercomprises a mechanical subsystem configured to actuate the speaker arrayto transition from the first mode of operation to the second mode ofoperation.

18. The system of any of clauses 16 and 17, wherein the mechanicalsubsystem actuates the speaker array to be directed towards the firstlistener when operating in the first mode of operation, and actuates thespeaker array to be directed towards the second listener to operate inthe second mode of operation.

19. The system of any of clauses 16, 17, and 18, wherein the wearabledevice comprises a hat, the speaker array is embedded into an ear flapof the hat, and the mechanical subsystem raises and lowers the earflapwhen transitioning between modes of operation.

20. The system of any of clauses 16, 17, 18, and 19, wherein thewearable device comprises a neck-mounted device, and the speaker arraycomprises a steerable speaker array configured to generate a pluralityof directional sound fields corresponding to a plurality of differentmodes of operation.

Any and all combinations of any of the claim elements recited in any ofthe claims and/or any elements described in this application, in anyfashion, fall within the contemplated scope of the present embodimentsand protection.

The descriptions of the various embodiments have been presented forpurposes of illustration, but are not intended to be exhaustive orlimited to the embodiments disclosed. Many modifications and variationswill be apparent to those of ordinary skill in the art without departingfrom the scope and spirit of the described embodiments.

Aspects of the present embodiments may be embodied as a system, methodor computer program product. Accordingly, aspects of the presentdisclosure may take the form of an entirely hardware embodiment, anentirely software embodiment (including firmware, resident software,micro-code, etc.) or an embodiment combining software and hardwareaspects that may all generally be referred to herein as a “module” or“system.” Furthermore, aspects of the present disclosure may take theform of a computer program product embodied in one or more computerreadable medium(s) having computer readable program code embodiedthereon.

Any combination of one or more computer readable medium(s) may beutilized. The computer readable medium may be a computer readable signalmedium or a computer readable storage medium. A computer readablestorage medium may be, for example, but not limited to, an electronic,magnetic, optical, electromagnetic, infrared, or semiconductor system,apparatus, or device, or any suitable combination of the foregoing. Morespecific examples (a non-exhaustive list) of the computer readablestorage medium would include the following: an electrical connectionhaving one or more wires, a portable computer diskette, a hard disk, arandom access memory (RAM), a read-only memory (ROM), an erasableprogrammable read-only memory (EPROM or Flash memory), an optical fiber,a portable compact disc read-only memory (CD-ROM), an optical storagedevice, a magnetic storage device, or any suitable combination of theforegoing. In the context of this document, a computer readable storagemedium may be any tangible medium that can contain, or store a programfor use by or in connection with an instruction execution system,apparatus, or device.

Aspects of the present disclosure are described above with reference toflowchart illustrations and/or block diagrams of methods, apparatus(systems) and computer program products according to embodiments of thedisclosure. It will be understood that each block of the flowchartillustrations and/or block diagrams, and combinations of blocks in theflowchart illustrations and/or block diagrams, can be implemented bycomputer program instructions. These computer program instructions maybe provided to a processor of a general purpose computer, specialpurpose computer, or other programmable data processing apparatus toproduce a machine, such that the instructions, which execute via theprocessor of the computer or other programmable data processingapparatus, enable the implementation of the functions/acts specified inthe flowchart and/or block diagram block or blocks. Such processors maybe, without limitation, general purpose processors, special-purposeprocessors, application-specific processors, or field-programmable gatearrays.

The flowchart and block diagrams in the Figures illustrate thearchitecture, functionality, and operation of possible implementationsof systems, methods and computer program products according to variousembodiments of the present disclosure. In this regard, each block in theflowchart or block diagrams may represent a module, segment, or portionof code, which comprises one or more executable instructions forimplementing the specified logical function(s). It should also be notedthat, in some alternative implementations, the functions noted in theblock may occur out of the order noted in the figures. For example, twoblocks shown in succession may, in fact, be executed substantiallyconcurrently, or the blocks may sometimes be executed in the reverseorder, depending upon the functionality involved. It will also be notedthat each block of the block diagrams and/or flowchart illustration, andcombinations of blocks in the block diagrams and/or flowchartillustration, can be implemented by special purpose hardware-basedsystems that perform the specified functions or acts, or combinations ofspecial purpose hardware and computer instructions.

While the preceding is directed to embodiments of the presentdisclosure, other and further embodiments of the disclosure may bedevised without departing from the basic scope thereof, and the scopethereof is determined by the claims that follow.

What is claimed is:
 1. A computer-implemented method for distributingsound between listeners, the method comprising: configuring one or moreacoustic transducers to operate in a first mode, wherein, in the firstmode, the one or more acoustic transducers generate a first sound fieldin which sound is output towards a first listener and away from a secondlistener; transitioning the one or more acoustic transducers from thefirst mode to a second mode in response to a first triggering event; andconfiguring the one or more acoustic transducers to operate in thesecond mode, wherein, in the second mode, the one or more acoustictransducers generate a second sound field in which sound is outputtowards the first listener and the second listener, wherein the one ormore acoustic transducers are included in a clothing-based wearabledevice worn by the first listener.
 2. The computer-implemented method ofclaim 1, wherein, in the first mode, the one or more acoustictransducers generate the first sound field in which sound is output awayfrom a third listener, and wherein, in the first mode, the one or moreacoustic transducers generate the second sound field in which sound isoutput away from the third listener.
 3. The computer-implemented methodof claim 1, further comprising configuring the one or more acoustictransducers to operate in a third mode, wherein, in the third mode, theone or more acoustic transducers generate a third sound field in whichsound is output towards the second listener and away from the firstlistener.
 4. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein thefirst sound field and the second sound field are generatedsimultaneously.
 5. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, whereinthe first sound field is associated with a first audio source and thesecond sound field is associated with a second audio source.
 6. Thecomputer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein configuring the one ormore acoustic transducers to operate in the first mode comprisesperforming a beamforming operation to focus sound towards the firstlistener and away from the second listener.
 7. The computer-implementedmethod of claim 1, wherein configuring the one or more acoustictransducers to operate in the first mode comprises performing an activenoise cancelation operation to cancel a first portion of sound at alocation associated with the second listener.
 8. Thecomputer-implemented method of claim 1, further comprising detecting thefirst triggering event based on sensor data associated with the firstlistener or based on sensor data associated with an environment in whichthe first listener resides.
 9. One or more non-transitorycomputer-readable media that, when executed by one or more processors,causes the one or more processors to distribute sound between listenersby performing the steps of: configuring one or more acoustic transducersto operate in a first mode, wherein, in the first mode, the one or moreacoustic transducers generate a first sound field in which sound isoutput towards a first listener and away from a second listener;initiating a second mode of operation in response to a first triggeringevent; and configuring the one or more acoustic transducers to operatein the second mode, wherein, in the second mode, the one or moreacoustic transducers generate a second sound field in which sound isoutput towards the first listener and the second listener in conjunctionwith generating the first sound field, wherein the one or more acoustictransducers are included in a clothing-based wearable device worn by thefirst listener.
 10. The one or more non-transitory computer-readablemedia of claim 9, wherein the first sound field is associated with adigital assistant that is responsive to the first listener, and thesecond field is derived from a first music file associated with thefirst listener.
 11. The one or more non-transitory computer-readablemedia of claim 9, wherein the step of initiating the second mode ofoperation comprising transmitting one or more commands to a mechanicalsubsystem to cause the second sound field to be generated.
 12. The oneor more non-transitory computer-readable media of claim 9, wherein thestep of initiating the second mode of operation comprising causing anaudio generator to perform a digital signal processing computation togenerate a first audio signal, wherein the second sound field is derivedfrom the first audio signal.
 13. The one or more non-transitorycomputer-readable media of claim 9, wherein the first triggering eventcomprises detection of a first voice command issued by the firstlistener and corresponding to the second mode of operation.
 14. The oneor more non-transitory computer-readable media of claim 9, wherein thefirst sound field is generated to associate sound with a first object inan environment where the first listener resides, and further comprisingcausing the first sound field to remain associated with the first objectwhen the first listener moves through the environment.
 15. The one ormore non-transitory computer-readable media of claim 9, furthercomprising the step of causing the one or more transducers to generate afirst sound sampled from an environment in which the first listenerresides to output sound towards the first listener.
 16. A system fordistributing sound between listeners, comprising: a clothing-basedwearable device configured to be worn by a first listener, comprising:an input/output (I/O) subsystem that includes a sensor array and aspeaker array, and a computing device, comprising: a memory storing acontrol application, and a processor that, when executing the controlapplication, is configured to perform the steps of: configuring thespeaker array to operate in a first mode, wherein, in the first mode,the speaker array generates a first sound field in which sound is outputtowards a first listener and away from a second listener; transitioningthe speaker array from the first mode to a second mode in response to afirst triggering event; and configuring the speaker array to operate inthe second mode, wherein, in the second mode, the speaker arraygenerates a second sound field in which sound is output towards thefirst listener and the second listener.
 17. The system of claim 16,wherein the wearable device further comprises a mechanical subsystemconfigured to actuate the speaker array to transition from the firstmode of operation to the second mode of operation.
 18. The system ofclaim 17, wherein the mechanical subsystem actuates the speaker array tobe directed towards the first listener when operating in the first modeof operation and actuates the speaker array to be directed towards thesecond listener to operate in the second mode of operation.
 19. Thesystem of claim 18, wherein the wearable device comprises a hat, thespeaker array is embedded into an ear flap of the hat, and themechanical subsystem raises and lowers the earflap when transitioningbetween modes of operation.
 20. The system of claim 16, wherein thewearable device comprises a neck-mounted device, and the speaker arraycomprises a steerable speaker array configured to generate a pluralityof directional sound fields corresponding to a plurality of differentmodes of operation.